If you live in the UK it won't have escaped your notice that for the past week or so, and especially the last couple of weekends, most of the country has been basking in sweltering temperatures.

While most of us love to feel the sun on our backs occasionally, our furry friends with their extra insulation can really struggle in the hot weather.

Last week we purchased a Cool Coat for the Black Dog to help him keep cool in the weather; we mentioned it on Twitter & Facebook and have had such a response with people asking about it and where we got it from that we thought we should write a blog post.

Here is is wearing his new favourite piece of clothing:

The Black Dog models his 'Cool Coat' - perfect for keep him chilled in hot weather!

So what is a Cool Coat? The best way we can describe it, is that it is like a big chamois leather - you soak it in water for a few minutes before you put it on, then simply wring it out and put in on the dog wet and it acts like a wet blanket, helping to keep him cool as the water evaporates.

The makers say it can stay wet for up to four hours, obviously this depends on how hot it is, but The Black Dog has worn his for several hours now on very hot days and we have only had to re-wet it once or twice on each day.

The Cool Coat may not be the cheapest piece of dog apparel you will ever buy, but ours has proven invaluable in the last few weeks.

You can find out more about Cool Coats at the website of their manufacturers - Prestige Pets.

It is going to be hot this weekend, why not make your dog a special cool treat!

All you need is:A Kong or plastic container to put it all inBananaPeanut ButterTreats or dry dog food

If using a Kong - Use a bit of peanut butter to seal the small opening at the top of the Kong, then layer the ingredients alternating between the wet and dry ingredients, making sure that the last layer is wet to seal the large opening at the bottom of the Kong. If your filling is a bit running it will be a good idea to place the Kong in to a container with the smaller opening at the bottom, just in case there are any leakages.

If using a plastic container - make sure that it's not too big and not your favourite one as it is likely to get destroyed! Layer the ingredients as above, making sure the last layer is wet.

Place the Kong or container in the freezer for 4-6 hours. The longer you leave it in the freezer, the long it will take your dog to eat it.

We have used different ingredient for the different flavours and textures to keep The Black Dog entertained, if you don't have all of the above or dog is not fond of them, we have also tried cheese, low fat unsweetened yogurt, water, carrots or very weak gravy (or low-salt) - basically use whatever you have to hand and your dog enjoys.

Please remember that this is a treat and you must consider what you have put in there and adjust your dogs daily meal allowance to accommodate the extra food. The Kong in the photos will replace The Black Dog's evening meal tonight. Also remember to make sure that you have plenty free water available and if your dog is not used to eating from Kong's to supervise him/her with it until they are used to it.

We will update the blog post with photos of The Black Dog eating his Kong later. If you do make your dogs some cool treats this weekend, please share your recipes here and we would love to see photos - you can share them on our Facebook page too!

Enjoy the weather and have a great & safe weekend with your dogs!

The Black Dog Bakery - bakers of healthy, wholesome dog treats made with all the care your dog deserves!